Majority Worries That Budget Battle Is Diminishing Confidence in Economy

Americans are sharply divided over the wisdom of the across-the-board federal spending cuts due to start Friday, with half saying they will be too severe and a slightly smaller share saying they are necessary to reduce the deficit, a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll finds.

Poll participants hold a diversity of views on the efficacy, timing and likely impact of the $85 billion in automatic spending cuts, which will be applied...